Air-ship.



No. 852,239. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

J. G. RECKWEG.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.11, 1905.

3 SHEETS-BHEBT 1.

PATBNTED APR. 30. 1907.

J. G. REOKWEG.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DE(].11I 1905.

JOHN C. RECKWEG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNLA.

AIR-SHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed December 11, 1905- Serlal N0. 291,316.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JOHN C. REoKwEo, a citizen of-the United States,residing at Los Angeles,in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAir-Ships; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in air ships and consists ofcertain novel' features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andefficient means for steering and propelling air ships or bodiessupported by a balloon or other gas field.

The above and other objects-which will appear as the nature of myinvention is bet ter understood, are accomplished by means oftheconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'in which,--

Figure 1 is' a side elevation of an air ship with my improved ropellinand steering mechanism applied t iereto; ig. 2 is a horizontal sectionalview taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal sectional view through the parts shown 'inFig. 2;Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

are vertical transverse sectional views taken respectively on the planesindicated by the lines 4- 4, 55 and 6--6 in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a detailview of the pivot bearing for one of the wings; and Figs. 8 and 9 areplan and sectional views of one of the valves in the coverings for theWingsand rudder- Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1

denotes the body of the air sliip,.which may be of any suitable form andconstruction, and which is adapted to be supported or floated by aballoon 2 or other gas field, which may be of any form and constructionand connect ed to the body or ship 1 in any suitable manner. As shown,the body or shipl is in the form of a boat and consists of a skeletonframe 3, which is in the form of the hull of a boat and which may becovered if desired. This frame 3 comprises a plurality of substantiallyU-shaped ribs 4 arranged transversely in parallel relation and connectedby a heel 5 and a surrounding upper rail or rim 6. The ribs 4 arestrengthened by vertical posts 2'', which are connected to each other byor tail-11 will be oscillated.

a curved central brace 8 and to the upper portions of the ribs bytransverse braces 9.

The air ship is adapted to be propelled and steered by means of aplurality of pairs of wings l0. and a 1" arr-shaped rudder or tail 11.The wings 100f each pair, of which there may be any number, are arranged11 1011 opposite sides of the body 3 and are in longitudinal alinement,as shown. Each of the wings 10 consists of a framelZ and a covering 13of fabricor any other suitable material. The two side rods 14 of theframe 12 of each wing are brought to ether and united at their inner end15, an they are pivotally mounted in bearin s 16-17 provided upon therail or rim 6. r s clearly shown in F ig. 7 of the drawings, the bearing16 is disposed at a greater elevation than the bearing 17, so that eachwing will have an upward and rearward inclination to cause it to operateellieicntly when oscillated. The innerends of the wings of each pair areloosely pivoted in a vertically reciprocating frame or slide 18,

which is mounted in a suitable guide upon one ofthe central posts 7 andwhich has a transversely extending slot or elongated opening 19 formedtherein to receive an ec' centric 20 provided upon a longitudinallyextending drive shaft 21. It will be seen u on reference to Fig. -11 ofthe drawings that w en the shaft 21 is rotated, the eccentric '20 willcause the slide 18 to move up and down and simultaneously oscillate onepair of the-wings 10.

The fan shaped rudder or tail 11 is mount- .ed upon the rear end of thebody 3 and comprises a cross-sha e frame formed of two bars 22 connected)y curved cross bars covered by a covering of fabric or other lightmaterial The crossed bars 22, at their junction, are connected by meansof a uni' versal joint or bearing 24 to the rear end of the body 3 andtheir diverging inner ends 25 are connected by a crossbar 26, which ispivoted at its center asshown at 27 in a slide 28, which is similar tothe slide 18. As clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, said slide 28is slidably mounted in suitable bearings and is formed with an elongatedopeningto re ceive one of the eccentrics 20 upon the'shaft 2.1, so thatas the latter is rotated, the ruddel In order to tilt the curvedouterend of the tail or rudder transversely and thereby steer the shipin the desired direction, suitable chains, cables or other flexibleconnections .29 are connect to the ends of the cross bar 26, so thatthey latter maybe swung upon its pivot 27 and will tilt the rudderangularly to either side. The operating connections 29 pass oversuitable guide pulleys or devices 30 and may be operated by an suitablemechanism conveniently arrange where the operatoris stationed.

The shaft 21 is preferably driven by a gasolene motor 31 suitablymounted within the body 3 and geared to the shaft in-any de siredmanner. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, a gasolene tank 32 is also shownmounted withthe frame. The eccentrics 20 are preferably so disposed uponthe shaft 21 that the foremost pair of wings and the rudder will'besimultaneously raised and lowered and the intermediate pairs of-wingswill be successively raised and lowered, so that the ship will beprevented from rocking and the mo tion will be like that of a bird, I

In order to permitthe wings 10 and rudder 1 1 to quickly ascend, Iprovide in their coverings 13 and 23, openings 33, which are controlledby valves 34, so that air will be per-. mitted to pass therethrough upontheirup stroke but not upon their down-stroke. As shown, the openings 33are circular in form and the valves 34 are of similar-shape, said valvesbeing also composed of fabric and strengthened by wires The valves arehinged atone side and are held normally in their closed position, asshown in Fig. 9, by coiled springs 36, as will be readily see'n'uponreference to Fig. 8. As the wings descend, the valves 34'will close theopenings 33 so that the air beneath the wings will offer are sistancethereto, and upon theup-stroke of said wings, said valves will open, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, to permit the air to pass downwardlytherethrough.

From. the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation and advantages of theinvention will be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details'ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the prin- U end.of said. .body, vertically reciprocatingslides in said body pivotallyconnected to the inner ends of said wings and said rudder, a

longitudinally extending; shaft, and eccentries upon said shaft foractuating said slides. '2. An air ship comprising a body, oscillatingwings arranged in pairs and pivotally mounted upon the opposite sides ofsaid body, a rudder pivotally mounted at the rear end of said body,verticallyreoiprocating i slides in said body pivotally connected to theinner-ends of said wings and saidrudder, a longitudinally extendingshaft, eccentrics upon said shaft for actuating said slides, and 'meansfor tilting said rudder angularly.-

3. An air ship comprising a body, a fanshaped rudder mounted'to swingvertically and rotateaxially upon'the rear portion of said frame,diverging arms or ends at the innerportion of said rudder, a-verticallyreciprocating slide, a cross bar pivoted centrally in said slides andhaving the inner ends or arms of saidrudder securedln its ends, a

shaft, an eccentric upon said shaft for reciprocating said slide, andoperating connections attached to the ends of said cross bar to swingthe latter and hence. said rudder axlally.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN C.'REOKWEG. Witnesses;

-ARNOLD ARMSTRONG,

E. T. PARKE.

